Hi All; I've intended to do this for some time...and today must be the day. I'm not as active as I'd like to be in the Badfinger discussions, but believe me....I have been a staunch Badfinger fan since my early teens...and I play their lp's constantly for myself as well as anyone who had never heard much of Finger. My name is Dan Phillips from Vincennes Indiana....36 years old. Naturally, I love Beatles music..and anything remotely connected to the fabs I bought.My first recollections of Badfinger was hearing "Come & Get It" thinking that I had to find that Beatles tune. The radio never said who it was, and I thought I had heard or knew about all things Beatle! I must of been about 10 because I had just gotten the red and blue lp's of the Beatles...how little I really knew!! When in 1976 a renewed surge of Beatle interest surfaced, I was able to get every Beatles lp fairly quickly, and some imports and rarities as well..but the great thing was that other apple acts were also starting to appear in the bins at my local store.
I had read about the Ivey's and Badfinger thru Beatle books, so when I saw Magic Christian Music, I grabbed it up....and was freaked that "Come & Get It" was the first cut!! I was really lucky actually because I was able to get "No Dice" that way as well..and certainly recognized "No Matter What" from my radio listening. By this time I was head over heels digging Finger music. My Aunt bought me an import copy of "Straight Up" about the same time...which blew me completely away. Bought "Ass" soon after..then never heard much more from them....One day a few years later I saw 2 Finger releases I had never heard of "Badfinger" & "wish You Were Here" on 8-track. Naturally, I got'em! listened to them every single night when I went to bed pretending to be in the band..especially "WYWH"...it became my favorite of all there releases. I always rummage through the discount bins, and soon had both of the 8-tracks on vinyl......After this I never heard another word on Finger.....and treasured my vinyl because I simply never EVER say any Badfinger on any shelf...occasionally "Straight Up" but not very often.
THEN, out of nowhere, I read with glee a review of "Airwaves" in Rolling Stone..and then with despair at reading of how Pete Ham was not only not involved..but had passed on. A very very huge depressing blow, as Pete's music hit me like Lennon's music did. Altho the reviews, as I recall dimly, weren't glowing about the lp..I was totally stoked at hearing new Finger music. Also, I saw an ad in the classifieds about a Badfinger Appreciation Society..to which I immediately sent off for whatever they had. I was pretty proud when I received my first edition, not having a clue that it would be the only one I ever received! I was familiar with the names Tony Kaye & Nicky Hopkins..and had heard of Andy Newmark as well...never heard of Joe Tansin though. As soon as I found "Airwaves" I had it on the turntable.....loved it from the outset, especially side two. I thought that this would be the lp that would bring'em back to the forefront! "The Winner"; "The Dreamer"; "Sail Away"....man oh man! I was disappointed that Gibbons wasn't there, but was so happy to hear the Molland & Evans trademark vocals and harmonies. I was also pleased to catch this version of Badfinger on either Kirschner's Rock Concert or Midnight special..can't remember which! Was it Joey that had on the big hat??!?!!? Anyway....I was a total Fingerite about then, cause I really thought they'd hit it big....but it didn't happen. I went through another lull where I heard nothing for a while.
I went to college as a DJ and ran across a DJ copy of something called "Say No More" that I had never ever heard of! It was '81 and I was a freshman at school.....this particular lp wasn't getting played at all...I tried by playing when I could....but it was destined to be pitched.....I saved it!! I figured that things were bleak because I hadn't heard anything the lp or the band, and I saw it had a whole new line-up sans Gibbons again, and IMHO it wasn't remotely as good as I had hoped. I thought it was finally over.
I never heard anything of Finger again until a where are they now feature in Rolling Stone, where...AGAIN, I was shocked to discover that 2 members were now deceased...for a long time I thought it was Gibbons, explaining to me why he was never involved in any Finger later lineups....Later I learnt that it was Evans...and the accounts of how he had mirrored Pete's death were mortifying. What a tragic way to end the Badfinger story....and what a voice Tommy had. I have played in rock bands..still do, and traveled across the USA..and in Norfolk, VA we were gigging for a week....and next to our hotel was a decent sized club called O'Sullivan's on the Wharf...and I looked at the sign in amazement as it read...Saturday...Badfinger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OOOhhh Hell yes!!! I couldn't see the show as I had a show myself....but I was just like a little groupie as I hung around the building and the bus and the hotel waiting to see anyone. Finally, after they had done a soundcheck I believe....I ran smack into Mike Gibbons! Now, I am 6'4" 250 or so, and I was certainly towering over him! I had it all played out in my head beforehand...I wasn't gonna freak out and act like a star struck fan, I wasn't gonna say all the things that he's prolly heard a thousand times, I was gonna ask questions that proved I was a knowledgeable fan etc......well....
that all went out the window! I immediately said jeez what a fan I was, and how I had every record, and how I loved this and that etc....LOL...! He took all this quite well with a smile and genuine friendliness that allowed me to regroup and actually have a decent conversation with him. Naturally, I can't recall the whole thing picture perfect, but it was a great time for me. I had told the other guys in my band at the time at how I couldn't believe I was next door to Badfinger...
they all had no clue, and more or less made fun of my fanaticism, being that we were all in our mid 20's, they had never heard of Badfinger. I had one guy go with me, he said it was because I was so excited about meeting them, that they had to be noteworthy at least! Mike asked where we were playing and added he'd like to check us out, but unfortunately for me, we were on at the same time as them. I did go over after we got back post show, they were done as well....I stood around the bus hoping to meet Joey..but no such luck. He came out with what looked like multi bodyguards around him escorting him to the awaiting bus.....heavy shades on even. But it was cool to be that close to one of my all time favorite bands.
Years passed on before I had another experience. I am a regular Chicago BeatleFest guy, and a few years back I got my BeatleFest booklet that listed special guest Joey Molland!!!! Oh Yeah, I was pretty fired up!! I once again got on my Badfinger wagon, relearning all their tunes, and lyrics etc.... They have the question/Answer sessions where you just walked up to Joey and asked him anything....it was so freaking cool to just sit there and listen to stories and have him pick up the acoustic and strum sections of tunes. It was the first time I had ever heard the stories behind songs and the while tragicness of Badfinger etc....I learnt then at how rare the Warner lp's were, and how many people had never even heard "WYWH"!! How lucky I was! But then again, I had never heard of "Head First" or any of the Molland solo releases. Later on the stage, Joey joined up with the band ("Liverpool") and did the standard Finger Fav's "Baby Blue" "No Matter What" "Come & Get It" along with an assorted jam. He sounded great, played great..looked like he was having a superb time! Later, I ran into him at the bar, and walked on over to introduce myself and shake his hand! It was truly a pleasure and he was friendly as well....not as I had remembered him back in Norfolk when he was kinda standoffish...I told him he was welcome to join me in a 12-string version of "Sweet Tuesday Morning", and we both laughed! It was truly one of my fonder memories! I got the Baby Blue live lp at Beatlefest as well as his autograph.
Not too long ago I got a CD called Badfinger's (featuring Joey Molland) Greatest Hits that had a cover shot of the original Finger in concert. I got to tell you it was terrible......some of the songs are just about unlistenable....altho a few of the cuts are good.......Joey was singing all the songs...and it really sounded live to me. "Love Is Gonna COme At Last" was prolly the best on the CD.....I am glad to have it, but disappointed at the total sound quality and performance....does anyone have any info on this release.....? Finally, I gotta say that it is such a disappointment with all the infighting between camps.....While I agree to having trouble buying anything that is labeled as a Badfinger release knowing that only Joey is on it. I would certainly by a Molland lp though, I just have trouble with anyone else saying that they were a member of Badfinger! There was one dude with Joey at the Beatlefest selling the latest Badfinger CD with Joey..and the attitude-meter must of blown up around this cat. That may be unfair, because I can't say I spoke a word to him or vise versa; but he sure thought he was 'the' shit...and he wasn't anything to me or the bunch of us there to see Joey...anyone can play the notes!!!! Otherwise, I noticed that every song Joey did at the Fest, he prefaced with comments on Pete Ham and he certainly gave credit due where deserved. In all the discussions, he was quite courteous concerning the events leading to Badfinger's demise, and I sensed a genuine love he had for band mates and for carrying on the music of Badfinger.
I see nothing wrong with him touring, playing the Finger songs of his as well as Tommy and Pete's...after all, if he doesn't who is? As for all the people trying to cash in or pretend they were viable members of the Badfinger we know and love.....get a life and a clue. Badfinger ceased in 1975 with Pete Ham.......after that there were only Tommy & Joey (Mike too....); then only Joey to carry on the namesake; altho I did hear some samples of Gibbons' work as well. It is a shame that the 2 surviving members can't mend fences for then we'd have at least 1/2 of the band in an active Badfinger. And to the folks who lambaste Joey because he wasn't an original member, and shouldn't use the name for hisself...JEEEEEEEZZZZzZzZZZZZzzzzZ; the guy played on some pretty damn killer lp's and contributed some pretty damn killer tunes to those damn killer lp's..I think he's every bit Badfinger. It would be different is say...Joe Tansin, or Bob Evans was trying to pull it off..but Joey....he was as vital to the Badfinger sound as anyone. I guess that's my piece...sorry to be so long! Long Live the memory of Pete Ham......can't wait for Golder's Green..the 7 Park Avenue brings me to tears every time I put the CD on! I wonder if there's any long lost Tommy tapes laying around! oops I better save all that for another post!!
Dan Phillips
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